Merv’s Missiles
As you enter the sector, a space lab uncloaks and the transponder ID pings with the lab’s name, ‘Merv’s Missiles or Arken’s Arsenal’.
“Captain, we’re being hailed by an automated message”
You nod and your comm officer puts it on.
Your view screen changes to what looks like a commercial. A spiraling camera view of the labs which then fades to an interior shot with a man in a lab coat with a clear dome covering his brain and a third eye in the center of his forehead. “Welcome to Merv’s Missiles or Arken’s Arsenal, your new favorite place to buy weapons of destruction. Between my brain power, and the tireless work of my robotic workforce I can make more and better weapons than anyone else. Need to shoot people that are trying to hide around corners? Want to hit multiple targets at once? Just want to send a message with a freeze ray? I am here to help for a reasonable price. I am transmitting my product catalog now. If you dock, I’ll make sure the red carpet is rolled out.”
“That was unusual.”, are the first words out of your mouth.
“Sir, the catalog is coming over now.”
“Let’s see what they have.”
The first thing you notice is that the catalog is titled, The Book of Armaments. A quick skim through this catalog shows all the common missiles, blasters, and the shield piercer mod, but there are also a few new things. A freeze ray, which is a type of blaster that does ice damage instead. An auto armament triggering system to automatically return fire on anyone that shoots you. Long range missiles which can be launched from further out. A drone missile that can be programmed to travel around corners. Armored missiles that can travel through debris and asteroid fields. Then there is his high end missile, Merv’s MIRVed Missile. MIRVed stands for Multiple Independently targetable Reentry Vehicles. Apparently it can hit multiple targets at once. As a convenience, it says that they also sell energy rods. The catalog says they are actively developing other new weapons as well.
Do you choose to dock with the lab to learn more about their inventory, or just keep on flying.
Dock with the lab, read/listen to Story 40.
Just keep flying and continue with the rest of your turn, but the first ship that does dock with the lab should read/listen to Story 40.